176 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
wish to be deserted by the Indians. ... At length 
we reached the cataracts of the Topo, which have to 
be crossed by throwing over them four bamboo 
bridges — from one side to rocks in the middle and 
thence to the opposite side. As far as we could 
see up and down it, it was one mass of foam, 
with here and there black rocks standing out, and 
so much swollen that one of the rocks used as a 
support for the bridges was completely under 
water. Here we waited two days and nights in the 
vain expectation of seeing the waters subside ; 
and finding ourselves on the point to perish of 
hunger, we with great risk threw bridges across 
at a place some way higher up. One of the middle 
bridges was so long (at least 40 feet), that the 
three slender bamboos of which it consisted almost 
broke under the weight of a man, even unloaded, 
and it was found impossible to get my boxes across. 
I crossed myself and got over my bed and a change 
of clothes, and the last of my party had scarcely 
got over when the waters rose and swept the 
bridge away. In three days more we reached 
Bafios, and my first care was to seek out and pay 
fresh cargueros to fetch my baggage from the 
Topo. Eleven days they waited ere the river 
went down, and twice I had to send them out 
supplies of provisions. My goods had been left 
under a rude rancho, thatched with Anthurium 
leaves (for there were no palms near) ; but when 
the men found them the leaves had fallen on them 
and there rotted ; the leather covering of the 
trunks was half rotten and full of maggots ; yet 
fortunately the contents were very slightly injured. 
You can perhaps fancy my sorrowful position in 
